A leading historian examines how the monarchy not only tolerated slavery but also administered it, profited from it and sanctioned its cruelties

A new book by author Julian Sancton explores the lengthy quest to find the Spanish galleon—and the political firestorm that has engulfed the wreck ever since

Synthetic pheromones may be a promising tool in attracting and culling troublesome crown-of-thorns starfish, which rapidly eat large amounts of coral on the Great Barrier Reef

Scientists undertook the first comprehensive assessment of how often snakes eat their own, uncovering reports of the behavior in more than 200 species

Thomas White’s tale of finding freedom is discovered more than a century after it was documented

A beautiful coastal land, there’s much to see in this northern European nation

Our country’s birthday bash includes exhibitions, historical reenactments, a massive potluck and more

Recent discoveries about an alvarezsaur called Manipulonyx have drawn renewed attention to this group of bird-like, clawed creatures and the mysteries around their anatomy and behavior

The scholar's picks include "Turn: Washington’s Spies," "John Adams" and "Franklin"

Journey around the nation with this interactive map, divided by region or category, and discover American history in a way you’ve never seen before

Journey around the nation with this interactive map, divided by region or category, and discover American history in a way you’ve never seen before

Once the whaling capital of the world, New Bedford remembers Herman Melville’s literary masterpiece with an annual reading marathon

Alexander the Great conquered the region around 329 B.C.E., leaving behind Greek and Macedonian settlers who intermarried with locals. Their descendants eventually formed new kingdoms whose legacies continue to be debated today

Recent counts of the Wadden Sea’s adult harbor seal population have revealed a surprising trend of decline, prompting a consortium of researchers to investigate whether the animals are dying off, relocating or experiencing something else altogether

Rove beetles cloak themselves in ant pheromones to sneak into the insects’ nests for protection. But in an odd catch-22, that makes them forever reliant on their hosts

You don’t have to be an Olympian to enjoy these snowy activities

They race, they spin, they shoot. Meet the organisms for which physical prowess is more than sport—it’s a matter of life and death

From Abraham Lincoln's patent to James A. Garfield's geometry proof, learn how these 19th- and 20th-century commanders in chief shaped their legacies beyond politics

Wild fringe-lipped bats spend just one-tenth of the night in flight, but they can precisely snatch a calling frog and nab prey that rivals their own size

More than 3,000 artworks from national museums were stowed in chateaus in the Lot—about 350 miles south of Paris